There is new hope for brain tumour patients as a new laser technology to treat brain cancer is now available in Malaysia, offering them painless, incision-free stereotactic surgery.

Gleneagles Hospital regional chief executive officer Datuk Amir Firdaus Abdullah said the new technology was known as 'Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion' system.

He said it was performed with extreme precision to shrink tumours and kill cancer cells, while sparing healthy tissues surrounding the targeted treatment area.

"The technology achieves better clinical outcome than conventional brain surgery because it does not require surgical incision or the use of general older patients or individuals in poor medical condition that might be considered to be at high risk for anesthesia and conventional surgery," he said.

Amir Firdaus said this at a press conference during the launch of the Gamma Knife Centre here yesterday.

He said patients who sought the Gamma Knife surgery needed to consult the Gleneagles KL multidisciplinary team comprising a neurosurgeon, radiation oncologist and physicist first, to see whether it was appropriate for their condition.

He noted that with this new development, patients could now seek affordable, high-end neurosurgery locally for only RM48,000 as Gleneagles provided an esteemed team of highly experienced neurosurgeons and neurologists to provide complex neurosurgical procedures combined with the latest cutting-edge neurosurgical equipment.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the new technology gave more meaning in the concept of medical tourism itself, and at the same time benefited Malaysians and neighbouring countries.

He later signed a plaque pertaining to the launch.